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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29895810">Lost Children of the CCC</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plantcrazy/pseuds/Plantcrazy'>Plantcrazy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lost Children Of the CCC [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Feels, Center for Chaos Containment (Henry Stickmin), Chaos, Dmitri is the worst, Flashbacks, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Mild Language, Multi, Origin Story, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Right Hand Man is a softy, Tags Are Hard, The Suave and Copperbottom show, The Wall Complex (Henry Stickmin), Toppat Airship (Henry Stickmin), Toppats (Henry Stickmin), Triple Threat Ending | TT (Henry Stickmin), dysfuncational Right hand and leader, goverment, nothing too heavy those, right hand reginald</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:55:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,934</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29895810</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plantcrazy/pseuds/Plantcrazy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When a mysterious stranger offers Reginald a way to return his clan to its former glory it seems like a no-brainer but to accept. However, as time passes it becomes clear that the conditions of their offer (a blood sample from his Right Hand,) are not his only concerns. Something from his friends shadowy past has been unearthed and is now coming for not only him, but the Clans future.</p><p>Meanwhile, Henry has settled into his final ending and is enjoying his new life with his friends and fellow teammate’s Charles and Ellie. With the Toppat’s locked away, it seems nothing could go wrong: A perfect ending...</p><p>...that is if you ignore the fact that RHM was a cyborg, even those he shouldn’t be; Not in this ending atleast. <br/>But everything's fine. Sure his abilities are a little... ‘janky’ right now, but that’s probably just cause there hasn’t been much chaos lately to exercise them with since the Toppat’s are locked up. It surely can’t mean anything, besides! What’s the worst that could happen when he has his closest friends and government on his side. </p><p>That is until Henry meets the new Toppat recruit...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Burt Curtis/Sven Svensson, Reginald Copperbottom/Right Hand Man</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lost Children Of the CCC [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2243583</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Wall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>NOTE ⚠️ : This story takes place 3 months after the events of Completing the Mission, from the Triple Threat ending.<br/>- - - -<br/>For art, comics, stories or questions feel free to follow my blog 'The Stickmin AU Collection': https://thestickminaucollection.tumblr.com/<br/>Or main one for other works 'ChirpyCreations': https://chirpycreations.tumblr.com/</p><p>Feedback, critiques and suggestions are welcomed!<br/>I can't improve as a writer without them ^^</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>They looked at him with fear. </p><p>Even without his hat, they knew who he was, as he did them. The concerned and panicked faces looking in from behind locked doors and barred windows. </p><p>His hat. <br/>What had happened to his hat?<br/>Set alight by one of these Russian bastards the second he arrived at the Wall, “You won’t need this any more.” They’d laughed at him, grinding the smouldering remains of singed work and memories into the snow. <br/>They were right tho, he wouldn’t need that hat any more. <br/>When he got out of here- When <em>they</em> got out of here he’d get a new one. That old hat had seen better days anyway. <br/>They all had. </p><p>He could name most of them, the aged faces he’d taken the time to learn. The ones who had mentored him through thick and thin, love and lose. Helped raise him to become the leader he was today. </p><p>He could name which departments and divisions they had come from: Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, N &amp; S. America, the Airship… it looked like they had someone from everywhere, imprisoned in this ‘<em>zoo</em>’ of theirs. </p><p>He could see memories of them laughing over lunch, their out stretched smiles of exhaustion sitting around their prized raids. His extended family, now caged like barbaric animals.</p><p>Amongst the familiar he saw new faces too, swirling with disappointment and regret, no doubt questioning their every move and choice. Some blaming, others consumed in self-hate and pity. </p><p>How long had it been? <br/>A few months? <br/>Six months? <br/>No. It can't have been more than six or seven months that he had been first imprisoned himself after that convict had infiltrated the Airship and gotten most of the division arrested. That hadn’t stopped them however.</p><p>He remembered it clearly; their escape. <br/>The group of members from the Airship division had escaped that prison along with himself and his trusted right-hand only to discover the dreadful truth. The rocket launch, the plans he remembered briefly discussing, mulling over the paperwork for, ideas and sketches. The whole thing had ended in disaster thanks to that same convict: Henry Stickmin. <br/>He clenched his teeth at the thought of his name.</p><p>It had been all over the news, the Toppat's captured and defeated. All of them it seemed. They failed to find any survivors and if there were, they’d gone into hiding. That had left him self and the group of 13 others who escaped the prison. He didn’t know what happened to the rest of the Airships division; 47 unaccounted for. They’d assumed scattered across over prisons, yet had little success in locating anyone.</p><p>In truth for the few months they had been free it had been the 12 of them for most of it after Right-hand Man's ‘death’. Critically injured in their escape and yet brought back by some scientist on a boat from a joking suggestion. At the time, he couldn’t begin to describe his thanks to that Toppat. Now he could only wish they were still about to return the favour.</p><p>Six. <br/>That was all that was left of them. Recaptured or dead and this time sent to the Wall to join the rest of the clan. Stickmin’s fault once more. He had joined the government alongside another convict to become the ‘Triple Threat’: an elite trio of private operatives tasked with capturing any escapee Toppat's and others.</p><p>He turned his attention back to the inmates around him. He wouldn't be broken, as leader- ex-leader -it was up to him to maintain morale. He knew that spirits would be low and his presence here would not help, however he would show them to stay strong, that hope was not lost for the clan yet. They had escaped before and would again.</p><p>“Well if it isn’t Reginald Copperbottom…” The warden said braking from his conversation with his Second in command. Dmitri Petrov. Warden at the Wall Prison, home to some of the most cunning and notorious criminals in the world. The Wall had a 50-year record of no incidents. He said had, because that was before Henry. The same Henry which had gotten him imprisoned TWICE now, in less than a year, had also broken that record. Rumour had it Henry had broken out the same day he checked in, taking some of the Wardens teeth with him.</p><p>“…ex-leader of the Toppat Clan. I do apologise for not coming to greet you personally, but I’ve been rather busy lately. I do hope you’ll understand.”</p><p>“But of course, I’m sure we’ve been very busy ourselves keeping you on your toes. It Must be quite tiring to deal with a clan of criminals and thieves, I do hope you lot have been giving the warden here a little downtime.”</p><p>Reginald could hear the small chuckles and see some colour return to his fellow clan mates. Good. They needed that; Hope.<br/>A light in the cavern of darkness that was this bleak, cold and draughty igloo.</p><p>“You’ve got more spunk than the current leader, I’ll give you that… but you will end the same as he did.”</p><p>Out of nowhere the warden grabbed Reginald's arm twisting him to the ground and holding him there, grinding his boot into his back. Reginald was pretty sure he’d heard some crunching, and it wasn’t from this old geezer.</p><p>“Here, you are nothing more than criminal scum, like dirt under my boot and under it you shall stay. I won’t have another incident at this complex, <em>especially</em> after Henry.”</p><p>“W-well, I think we’re off to a fine start. I also hate Henry, he’s ruined my life as well. I think it’s something we could work together on. The clan has the resources and skills, we could help you bring him back, make him pay and not even the government will be able to protect him. He ruined your reputation? Well he ruined the clans as well-“</p><p>Reginald glanced to the side too late to see the head shakes and slashing of throats from Ahnoldt and Wilhelm as well as other familiar faces appearing when it hit. Or more popped.</p><p>He felt his right arm get extended forward before being stomped down on.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>!C R U N C H!</strong> </em>
</p><p>“GAHH!” The warden let go, and he crumpled forward holding his limp arm.<br/>Definitely.<br/>Definitely dislocated.<br/>Definitely, definitely, painfully-certainly-dislocated.</p><p>“Let that be your last attempt to cross me Toppat and a reminder to the rest of you who is in charge here.”<br/>The warden stomped down on Reginald's back again, but this time he contained himself. Gritting his teeth tight, they felt like glass cracking under the pressure. He’d been through worse than this, he had. He just hadn’t expected it, caught off guard was all. He hadn’t expected to have his arm nearly broken in the first 20 minutes of being here, let alone by the Warden.</p><p>Dmitri left Reginald in a crumpled mess, satisfied his message had gotten through. The other inmates who’d gathered curious about the commotion and likely their only entertainment in a while, looked on in horror and pity.<br/>That was what Dmitri had wanted.<br/>That had been the idea since the beginning.<br/>To get them to look, that’s what this had been truly about: meeting Reginald in the middle of the main cell block:<br/>To set an example.</p><p>The second in command, Grigori (, he believed,) had joined Dmitri at his side. His expression remained unreadable, unimpressed maybe? He couldn’t help but see his own Right hand in the wardens. They were too similar, all he lacked was the years of partnership to decode the secrets hidden within the wrinkled features.<br/>GAH! What was he doing? <br/>He needed to stop thinking about him.<br/>His dishevel orange moustache, cold eyes, yet warm caring han-<br/>He <em>was</em> fine. <br/>He didn’t need him.<br/>They’d established that beforehand.<br/>And yet, there he had been. Stood by his side as they’d been dragged off. Kicking and thrashing, last words lost to the wind. <br/>Reginald couldn’t help but feel like they were meant for him. <br/>He should have paid more attention to Burt’s lip-reading lessons…</p><p>His gaze dropped to the ground and he froze.<br/>Beneath him, he saw the stains of dirty crimson-brown. Recent but not fresh.<br/>His stomach dropped, and he felt the urge to gag.<br/>He wasn’t the first.</p><p>“Take him to his cell.”<br/>“And his arm?” One of the guards asked.<br/>The warden looked at him, a sly smile slivered across his face.<br/>“Fix it in the morning. Give him something to think about.”</p><p>The guard wrenched him up by his dislocated arm sending painful waves throughout. He tasted bitter metallic from snagging his tongue, trying to compress the sounds which ripped apart his throat.</p><p>Every part of him wanted to continue holding his head up and stare defiantly on, but he found himself unable to over the deafening pain.<br/>Stay strong.<br/>This isn’t hopeless.<br/>This wasn’t.<br/>He still cradled their cracked lantern of hope in his arms, <br/>He wouldn’t let them put it out. <br/>They’d get out. <br/>The Toppat Clan always prevailed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Another Cell, Another Prison</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A nice cosy cell with an ocean view, what more could Reginald want?<br/>Ah, right....his freedom (and a not-dislocated arm would be a nice extra).</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Man, this chapter was a lot of work to get out. <br/>Had some formatting errors for some reason with huge gaps between the lines. <br/>Not too sure what caused it, tho switching to Chome from Firefox seemed to have helped (That or it was deleting the draft versions and uploading fresh)</p><p>Anyway, at the end, I put some notes about writing the chapter for anyone whos interested. <br/>otherwise, feel free to skip over them and move on to the next chapter once it's out.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Reginald sat holding his arm…<br/>…2 days on.</p><p>Was it technically morning tho? <br/>He was sure it was about 1 or 2 am so would he classify this as late evening? Or very early morning?<br/>He looked away from his arm and up towards the door where a little light was shining through in front of him from the corridor. He felt anxious looking at it. He kept half-expecting the light to disappear as someone stood gazing in. <br/>Watching.<br/>Waiting.</p><p> </p><p><br/> <br/> <br/>Nothing came. <br/>That didn’t help relieve any of the tightness in his chest, but it made it easier to cast his gaze elsewhere. Namely the large bay window looking out to the ocean and current full moon which danced across the stilling waves.</p><p>On calm evenings like this he remembered standing out on the balcony of the airship. On such an evening is when everything had started to go wrong…</p><hr/><p><br/>“You’ll catch a cold out here Reg” <br/> Reginald didn’t respond or turn to greet his visitor. Instead, he kept his eyes cast outwards towards the waves below playing peak-a-boo through the thinning clouds. </p><p>“We’ve got trouble.”<br/>“Hmm?”  <br/>Right came over to join him by the railings. His friend cast his eyes down for a moment, also taking in the tranquillity of the evening before turning his attention back to the problem at hand, yet Reginald had seen it. An untrained eye would have missed it, but he saw it under the boot-faced grin; the small smile. The reminiscent smile from younger days, simpler times, back before he was the chief and Right-Hand Man had chosen his name. Back when their biggest worry was Terrence's next adrenaline-high raid. </p><p>Yet…. He couldn’t help but feel that smile had graced something from beyond their friendship, a memory of a time he would not share beyond the confinements of his mind. The silver lining of a past he would rather forget.</p><p>“That intruder there were reports of today. I caught ‘im leaving in a Government helicopter. I talked to Harold, sounds like who ever it was made it out with some pretty important files.”<br/>“That’s problematic.”<br/>“Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if the government comes ta pay us a visit sometime real soon.”</p><p>Reginald nodded, looking back out to the clouds gracefully dissipating around the turbines.  <br/>Simpler times…free like the clouds which swept past him and his problems.</p><p>“What do ya suggest we do?”</p><p>Yep, that was the line he had predicted to come next, the good old, ‘We’re in some real deep trouble here, I hope you’ve got a plan cause somehow I don’t think mine and guns blazing is gonna help here'.</p><p>Well, he did.</p><p>That was what had actually led Reginald out here in the first place: Some air to forget the only idea he had.</p><p>His head had whirled for hours after hearing the initial reports. What to do, the what-ifs, worse case scenarios. How would they wriggle them selfs out of it this time? The Airship wasn’t equiped for combat -he solely blamed that on Terrance- it was more of a glorified taxi from A to B (which they could also live in and store their valuables).</p><p>The airship was their main base, not a flying tank.</p><p>What the Airship did have going for it however, was altitude. Most government helicopters could only fly about 10,000 feet. The airship could reach 20,000 feet and being fractionally faster made for an easy getaway from most authorities. This, however, wasn’t particularly fuel friendly so they generally maintained around 13,000 feet which put them out of range for most of the less experience pilots, as well as ducks (, with the exception of today's flock).</p><p>A flying tank. He couldn’t help but chuckle slightly at the thought. If it wasn’t for the fact that the space station idea was within possibility, he’d more than certainly consider Ahnoldt suggestion. However that wouldn’t help him right now.</p><p>“Start transferring all non-essential personnel immediately. I want the airship to be down to a skeleton crew by tomorrow morning. If we’re going down I want the government to get their hands on as few of us as possible.”</p><p>He watched Right nod, felt his warm hand squeeze in his, the rush of air escape his lips which creased the upper edges of his stoic features; Reassurance.</p><p>Everything would be fine.</p><p>He’d take care of everything.</p><p>That’s what right-hands were for: To stand by their leaders and support them in bringing their ideas and wills into reality. No matter how difficult the task or challenge; competence and loyalty, two traits which could brake or make a right hand.</p><p>Two traits which were Right’s biggest strengths and weakness.</p><p>Their hands parted, Right slipping away to head inside. “Alright, I’ll go start rounding ‘em up. Don’t stay out ‘ere too much longer, we’re gonna have a busy day tomorrow.”<br/>“…That includes you too Right.”</p><p> </p><p>He froze mid-step turning back.</p><p> </p><p>“I want you off the Airship as well.”<br/>“Not happenin’ Reg, I’m staying here with you.”<br/>“No, you’re not:  <br/>You.   <br/>Are. <br/>Going.”<br/>“Over my dead body I am!”</p><p>"I said i’ma stay by your side and that’s a promise I intend ta keep.” He clarified after a moment, shaking the light blush away.</p><p>“UGH,” Reginald groaned. Why was he making this so difficult? They don’t have time for this. The government would be planning their next move as they spoke.<br/>“We are not discussing this further. The clan will need a new leader if worse comes to worst and the Government will be too suspicious if I am not still on board to arrest and hold responsible which will put everyone else at risk. It is your duty as a member of this Clan to be there to support them when I will inevitably be unable to.”</p><p>Right stared at him for a long cold moment, features unreadable, jaw slightly unhinged.</p><p>Reginald stared back holding his ground, stern and steady, arms folded.</p><p>The wind blew between them, silence carrying the unsaid words which flashed across their eyes;</p><p>'Ya don't mean it'</p><p><br/>'I do. You know I'm right'</p><p><br/>'I'm not leaving ya'</p><p><br/>'You have to'</p><p><br/>'No'</p><p><br/>'Yes'</p><p><br/>'Give up'</p><p><br/>‘I said I’m not leavin’ ya’</p><p><br/>'This isn't about me, it never was!'</p><p> </p><p><br/> <br/>His fist tightens,</p><p><br/>Bruised knuckles become pale.</p><p><br/>His eyes held old hurt and malice, </p><p><br/>Something resurfaced,</p><p><br/>Something forgotten,</p><p><br/>Something unshared,<br/> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>…fear.<br/> <br/> <br/> <br/>Right was the one to break away.</p><p>He turned his back to Reginald, cutting off any queries he could muster from the salt he'd accidentally placed.</p><p><br/>They didn't argue.</p><p>They didn't.</p><p>They were too close for that.</p><p>Not him and Right.</p><p> - - - -<br/>“I’m sorry…you want us to do WHAT NOW?”<br/>“We’ll go in guns blazing, in and out. Easy as that.”</p><p>Reginald pulled down on his moustache, wishing the physical sensation of hairs moaning could equate to a worse pain than his headache developing.</p><p>“T-that isn’t a plan! What about the guards? What about the security system? Did you read ANY of the information on that file I gave you?”<br/>“File?” Terrence asked blankly.</p><p>Reginald's eye twitched slightly.<br/>“OH! That file. Well, I didn’t, but I’m sure that goon I hit over the head with yesterday did!”<br/>“. . .”<br/>“Goon you hit over the head…?”<br/>“Yeah!” Terrence grabbed Reginald pulling him in for a monkey scrub, “You were there Regi-boy! Don’t ya remember?”<br/>“DON’T, call me that.”He hissed freeing himself from the grasp and flattening his now frizzy hair down, much to the amusement of the room.<br/>“I remember trying to not get shot with everyone else after you neglected to mention the backup security.”<br/>“Details, details, the past is the past, ain’t that right boys!”</p><p>Terrence signalled to the other 7 members of the away team who’d sat silently nodding as they watched the regular program unfold: ‘The Suave and Copperbottom show’.<br/>“See? Todays a new day!” He punched Reginald in the shoulder, adding to his bruise collection.<br/>“You worry to much, honestly Regi-boy. Relax, live a little and get that silver spoon out ya ass already! Teddy’ll show you how, ain’t that right Teddy?”<br/>“Er…Teddy?”</p><p>The room sat silent. Everyone else casting their gazes elsewhere:</p><p>Fresh cuts,<br/>Bruises,<br/>Scarred hands,<br/>Scuffed shoes,<br/>…the empty 10th seat.</p><p>“Ah…” Terrence rubbed the back of his neck a little too-nonchalant for Reginald's liking.<br/>“Welp, mission starts in 5, meet you all at the launch bay!”</p><p>- - - -<br/>"Let it go. He’s not worth it” Right would tell him as they sat together during their nightshift.<br/>“See those stars? One of 'em I'll be 'im one day and you'll be the one wearn' his dumb hat on top of yers.”<br/>“Pfft, none wears two top hats,” He chuckled, appreciating his friends attempt at cheering him up after another disaster of a mission; 5 injured, 2 members killed and one in critical condition not expected to make it.<br/>To make matters worse, those were just the physical injuries. One of the members had been pretty shaken up after taking a blade to the face. Reginald was pretty sure the guy wouldn’t ever put foot out of the airship again after this.</p><p>“Why not? You could be the first.” He went on, quite serious about the idea.<br/>“That’s… that’s not how things work around here.”<br/>“Now they don't, but wait till you're leader. Thing's I'll change for the better ya'll see.”<br/>‘But the rest of the clan-’<br/>“What about ‘em?”<br/>“What if they side with Terrence? Then what? We’ll both get exiled at best. Do you have any idea what the clan does to traitors?” He half expected his friend to laugh at him and shrug off his concern, but he was quiet.</p><p>“Look, just cause you an’ Terrence are a bit…turbulent at times-” That was the understatement of the year “-doesn’t mean the clan don’t respect ya. If anything they should respect ya more cause they see you’re tryna stand up for what ya believe in: There’s a better way and it ain’t him.”</p><p>“ ‘sides, if your plan doesn’t work there’s nothing a good old punch up can’t fix.”<br/>“Obviously you haven’t seen him with a pistol yet.” Reginald sighed into his hand, wondering how that answer had surprised him.<br/>“An obviously you don’t know all the tricks up my sleeve yet.”<br/>“Like…?"<br/>“You’ll find out when the time comes~”</p><p>- - -<br/>Right stuffed his fists in his pocket, sombrely lowering his head towards the decking which connected them as all others began to fray.</p><p>“And then what?" <br/>"Ya rot in prison and waste away for the rest of eternity?”<br/>No, of course not.<br/>He knew Right would brake him out… eventually,<br/>“Its for the greater goo-“<br/>“I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT!"<br/> <br/> <br/> <br/>". . ."<br/>They heard footsteps inside come to a stop.<br/> </p><p>Right's fist held steady, however, a few millimetres from Reginald's face as he leaned as far back over the railings as his cowardly body would allow.</p><p>The air around them crackled with electric.</p><p>Small red sparks-<br/>Wait.</p><p>Right had lost that ability years ago hadn't he?</p><p> <br/>From in the doorway, he could see Geoffrey and Thomas leaning in, no doubt checking what the commotion was.<br/>Right seemed to notice them too as he stepped back,<br/>The wind blowing between them once more.<br/> <br/>"I-is everything alright out here?" Thomas asked after a moment's hesitation.<br/>" 'tis fine." Right spat mostly in Reginald's face.<br/>"Er...really doesn't sound that way-" Geoffrey tried to nicely put forth.<br/>"NONE OF YA BUSINESS, GOT IT?"<br/>The pair nodded, retreating a few steps back inside.<br/>“Good.”<br/>“One of ya go tell Cuppa Joe down in Comms ta let everyone who's class 2'an above know they'll be transferred to different divisions by 06:00 in the morning. I'll have 'im a list of who's ta where in an hour, and the other one of ya get Harold's ass outta sickbay and down ta records. He can come ta help me sort out his mess."<br/>Right pushed past them before they could give any confirmations, not bothering to turn back.<br/>“Right, wait! I’m sor-</p><hr/><p>!C L A N K !</p><p>Reginald jumped slightly at the clank of metal.<br/>He must have spaced out for a while and not heard the door open. </p><p>He kept his head down. <br/>He knew better by now than to stare defiantly at his unwelcome visitor and frankly: he was hungry.</p><p>In front of him, he heard the person take a step back and most likely look down at yesterday's dinner they were stood in. <br/>“Huh, guess we’re gonna need to get you some dinner too huh?”<br/>Reginald knew the voice, but not the face.<br/>“…Wallace?”He bowed slightly, tipping his hat. He turned and closed the door.<br/>“Sorry it took a while to get here, I’m not normally on this floor so I had to find a guy to swap with. Fortunately, the midnight shift ain’t too popular. Now er… let's see what we can do about that arm. </p><p>He came over and knelt down beside the bed, rummaging through his pockets to pull out some bandages, pain killers and water. He passed them to Reginald who gladly accepted while he fiddled with the matted roll of cloth.</p><p>“Alright, I need you to relax for me and it should pop right back in with a little help. So just lay down nice and steady for me.”<br/>Wallace kneeled down by his side, placing a hand on Reginald’s shoulder and the over on his wrist. He slowly straightened the arm as Reginald laid down, moving outwards and finally pushing back at the shoulder.<br/>“There we go,” He chuckled giving him a pat on his good shoulder. “Easy as that. Now hold your arm here and don’t move it up or out ok?”</p><p>“Er…yes.” </p><p>Wallace helped him sit back upright, then proceeded to tie the bandage around to make a sling. Reginald watched him fiddle with the cotton for a few minutes checking it was secure and supporting his arm correctly.</p><p>“How’s the clan been holding up?” Reginald asked after a few minutes of silence. <br/>Wallace scratched the back of his neck. <br/>“Well, the one’s in here have definitely seen better days and the rocket launch did a number on the new guys.”<br/>Reginald nodded,<br/>“Do you know if anyone escaped?”<br/>He nodded sadly, “A few.”<br/>Reginald felt some hope, but all of it drained out instantly seeing Wallace sombrely fiddling with the bandage.<br/>“Have you heard anything from them?”<br/>He sighed getting up to join Reginald on the edge of the bed.</p><p>“Yeah, er…yesterday actually.”<br/>“And?”<br/>He really didn’t like how much Wallace was holding back from answering his questions, it could only mean bad news.</p><p>“Well, they’ve been on radio silence and laying low for the past few months now and they think the government’s finally off of their trails so they wanted a status update on the situation over here.”<br/>“And?”<br/>“Well er…I was told someone in communications realised what was happening when the rocket changed course to the Wall mid-launch and they managed to alert the people in the surrounding areas to evacuate. A few of their escape pods were captured but most of them were able to get away.”</p><p>Reginald nodded, that would have been no doubt Burt responsible for finding out and knowing him Sven would have been with him to organise the escape. The pair had become an excellent team over the last several years which is why he’d made personally sure they were always assigned to the same division and outposts. From what he’d heard from their last update before the Airship incident, it sounded like Sven was well on the way to making a fine leader for one of the outposts with a few more years of experience and a lot more persuasion.</p><p>“Do you know who escaped?”<br/>Wallace shook his head,<br/>“No, I er…I didn’t recognise the guy on the other side and they didn’t wanna tell me incase the line was bugged.”<br/>“Look Chief, don’t get your hopes up for a quick escape and rescue. The guys out there, what part of the clan remains free….they’ve been crippled and there’s barely a handful of them left.  I already told them trying to break anyone out of the Wall is suicide. After Henry escaped Dmitri really upped his game and to be frank….they just don’t have the numbers.”</p><p>“How many?”<br/>“How many what?”<br/>“How many are in the Wall? The clan?”</p><p>“The Wall holds about 2,000 prisoners, 30% of which are now Toppat’s.”</p><p>Damn…<br/>That was about all of the Northern hemisphere’s divisions.</p><p>“…And the others?”<br/>“They’re scattered across other prisons. Dmitri got nervous about housing so many, so the less valuable ‘assets’ were moved to other prisons.”<br/>“Tch,” Assets. Like a child collecting playing cards.<br/>“Look, I’m really sorry sir, but there’s not much which can be done about escaping right now. It could take them years to recover and get back to where the clan was.” </p><p>Wallace got up, stretching a little as he turned to leave.<br/>“I’m pretty good friends with the guy on the morning shift, so I’ll see what I can do about getting him to not drop your food and maybe sneak you in some more pain killers. Dmitri isn’t too big on medical care…so I’ll see what I can do, no promises on that tho.”</p><p>“Wallace?”<br/>Wallace turned back from the door.<br/>“What about Right Hand Man? We got separated before being dragged in here. Is he alright?”<br/>Wallace looked at him blankly for a moment, before the gears clicked into place.<br/>“Oh! The er…cyborg guy right? Er…he should be down in the maximum-security ward. I-I don’t have access to that level, but from what I heard he’s alright. Some Dr. Visn… er- something, lady was down there and she deactivated everything but the essentials, so…if you’re hoping he’s gonna get you out-“</p><p>“Alright, thank you.” Reginald turned back to the window, careful to support his arm. He leaned his head back against the cold stone wall, closing his eyes.</p><p>Wallace felt bad, but there wasn’t anything more he could do without blowing his cover. He tipped his hat towards the former chief and left. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was by far one of my favourite chapters I've written so far, I'm very happy with the timing, dialogue and character interactions. Particularly that of Terrance and Reginald. There 'show' was very fun to write. I also had a bit of fun writing Reginald and Rights. Never written anything even slightly romantic (or hinting at it) until now and it was...different. I don't think I did a terrible job at it. </p><p>Big shout out to 'Rewiring' by InediblePeriwinkle on the inspiration for that as well as some more ideas on how to write beginning Reginald's head. </p><p>This chapter was just a lot of fun in general overall. Lots of new things tried with writing the character relationships, some new formatting and writing styles + a tone of research into Blimps, Airships and Helicopters for that paragraph in the middle.<br/>The hardest part on it was acutally finding or making estimated calculations (which ended up being so) for the Airships stats since...we don't have airship in real life, well, ours are blimps and they're much different. </p><p>Like altitude of 20,000- 60,000 feet might put it out of reach of your average helicopter (6,000-10,000 feet, with records of some individuals reaching 20,000) however, the speed: 30-70mph.<br/>I'm sorry, but my dad goes quicker down the motorway than that, and helicopters? No, haha, no.<br/>Doomed,<br/>So doomed at 160mph.</p><p>So first to calculate the altitude I tired physics, going Game Theory mode! (DUN DUN DUN!)<br/>We get a scene of henry jumping from the Airship in the Jewel baron ending. Counting the fall time gives you 8.9second.<br/>Henry is canonically 183cm and from there you...I don't know ^^;<br/>For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to use this info to calculate the ships altitude.<br/>I tried a few things and got like 68feet or something and the minimum high helicopter and things are supposed to fly is 1,000feet so that was a no.</p><p>Next, giving up on maths, I used some footage and info we're given.<br/>Eg, Reginald apologises for avoiding a flock of ducks. Ducks fly between 2-4,000 feet, however, there are records of ducks being found at 20,000feet. 2-4,000 seemed a bit too low since at the beginning of IFtA we see the Airship flying marginally faster than Charles Helicopter, so I figured the airship should have stats slightly above, given they were able to go faster.</p><p>Given the stats for Blimps above, and a lack of real-world airships not filled with flammable gas (we know the Airship isn't filled with) I did a bit more research and came across quad tiltrotors, the closet real-world example. Bit of digging and while I couldn't find stats for quads, for any regular tiltrotors you're looking about 20,000feet &amp; 174mph. Bingo!</p><p>Now reading into helicopters, the reason they DON'T generally exceed 10,000 feet is because of the strain it puts on the propellers as the air becomes thinner and they have to work harder to generate more lift. So applying the same logic for the Airship and the fact their flying at a hight we see 3 helicopters reach (and a bit above when that one goes over in Jewel Baron) it means the Airship has to be somewhere between 9,000- 13,000 feet. </p><p>So, I rewatched the footage and had a brain wave remembering the Among Us trailer where we see the Airship brake through a patch of clouds, a special patch of clouds; Stratus at (and below) 6,500 feet. looking at the gameplay we seen them flying above that layer (which Henry later falls though) and up with some other clouds, which I believe are Stratoscolumbus (about 10,000 feet) and also at 8-9,000 is Geese, so gain this seemed pretty likely. Leading to my estimate (made a little more generous for the Airships sake) of 13,000 feet cruising altitude.</p><p>And there you have your trip into the mid of a writer, or at least me ^^;<br/>The research part of writing is always my favourite.</p><p>Like, oh it is this chapter with the clan figures and prison size (^^;). Feels like chapter one after spending so long on the Right and Reginald section. Reginald and Wallaces was a clean quick write with little re-writes after I got my figures. </p><p>So, for clan size, did some googling and found the Pink Panther Gang. Around 808 members of thieves who stole, you guessed it; Gems. So they seemed like a good base for the Toppats since the only figures we're canonically given is above 503.</p><p>For the Wall's capacity size, Most maximum security Prisons hold generally tops of 2,000.<br/>As for the lines with 'assets' that was an interesting idea, I read in the wiki upon discovering the trailer for FtC, suggesting that the Wall is like the place in the SCP foundation. Collection people, which alines with Ellie (and her abilities) as well as the trailer dialogue when combined with the fact Henry is captured despite being pardoned.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Toppat Killer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reginald sat sipping his tea, until he wasn't. </p><p>[Reginald] T-Toppat Killer??? What kind of title is that Creator!<br/>[Creator] I mean, it's in the title. Pretty obvious what this chapter is about if you ask me.<br/>[Reginald] Right, well how about I choose the title for once.<br/>[Creator] Like...?<br/>[Reginald] The Toppat Clan Escapes From the Wall and Henry Stickmin and The Government Meet Their Untimely Demise.<br/>[Creator] Er how about...no.</p><p>The Creator pats Reginald on the head dropping a tissue box in his lap. <br/>[Creator] That's for the spilt tea and 15 chapters time. Good luck. <br/>[Reginald] . . .15 chapters time?<br/>[Creator]  &gt;:~&gt;<br/>[Reginald] T_T</p><p>((I didn't know what else to put here ^^; ))</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Righty'o next chapter is here!</p><p>It's a bit of a long one, about 4,000~ words.<br/>Took a little while and I ended up adding a lot of stuff. It was shorter, but I wanted to flesh out two of the characters more, and the more I worked on it the more got added, and then I realised how these two could come back later and yeah... We're about 2 weeks after I thought I'd have it up but oh well. </p><p>A delayed story will eventually make a good story, but a rushed one will forever be a bad one. <br/> - ^_^ -</p><p>Anyway, very happy with this one. <br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There had to be a way out. </p><p>Reginald ran his hand over another row of bricks; they didn’t budge. <br/>
But even if they did what was he going to do? Plummet to his death? He had no clue what floor he was on, let alone how high up that floor was. For all he knew with his luck he could be on the top one.<br/>
No, this wasn’t going to work. </p><p>Reginald sat back down on the bunk. <br/>
“Hehe” he chuckled to himself noticing a distinct set of marks in the floor.<br/>
Right would have made a joke by now about him wearing the floor down enough to punch through it with all the pacing he’d been doing the last… few hours? Geez, he’d completely lost track of time- or at least the rough grasp he had on it. </p><p>Well let see, he wasn’t hungry yet, so Wallace's guard friend wouldn’t be coming anytime soon. No, that wouldn’t be for a few more hours until his stomach made itself known. If he was right on that, it would be even longer till Wallace would possibly pop in to see how he was doing.<br/>
Just like Right would on his late night walks, peering his head into Reginalds office. <br/>
“Get some sleep. Clan needs a leader, not a mindless zombie.”<br/>
True, but he wasn’t tired and sleep was the only thing he had to do right now, and frankly he preferred to be awake. The waking hours of his mind were less cruel.</p><p>…<br/>
He missed him; his Right-Hand. <br/>
Sure he was still mad at him, but… lonely. <br/>
It had been a while since they had been apart this long. <br/>
Even longer since they’d been apart after an argument-<br/>
Come on now; focus Reginald. <br/>
He had every right to be angry at him, but right now he should be focusing on how to get them all out of here. The emotions between them could be dealt with at a later date. <br/>
The clan comes first.</p><p>Reginald had thought the Airship had been flawless, yet Henry had broken in and out virtually unseen. The Wall was suppose to be the same, yet Henry had broken out of here too. If Henry could find a way, so could he. There had to be at least one weak point he could exploit, he just needed to keep looking. </p><p>He ran his hand along the row of bricks hidden beside the bed. He didn’t know what he was expecting to find till a finger slipped and something moved forward a few millimetres.</p><p>Before he could explore further he heard the lock open as he quickly snatched his hand away, choosing to glare-down at his shoes to not raise suspicion.<br/>
Huh. Maybe it was later than he’d thought. </p><p>“Walk time,” Was all the guard said roughly grabbing him- ,ignoring his dislocated arm,- then cuffing him. <br/>
This was new. He hadn’t left his cell in the last 5 days.<br/>
He was pushed out the door and pushed down the corridor towards a lift at the end. Infront of him walked two guards and inmates he couldn’t quite see. He assumed they must have come from the cell next to his. </p><p>They entered the lift, and Reginalds guard made sure to push him in this time with the butt of his gun. “Don’t try anything.” He didn’t need telling twice and besides, his options were currently restrained.</p><p>The two other prisoners in the lift- who weren’t cuffed -were having a quiet conversation between themselves. Reginald scowled at that, why was he the one cuffed? How much troubled did they really think he could get into with a dislocated arm? Special treatment he guessed. That, or they weren’t underestimating his abilities. </p><p>“Did you hear about project Left-Hand?” One of the guards asked.<br/>
“Yeah, it’s quite an interesting idea the warden had. How’s the progress on that going?”<br/>
“Pretty good from what I heard some of the other guards say.”<br/>
“Obviously neither of you two saw the beta testing yesterday.”<br/>
“Oh and you did?”<br/>
Reginalds guard nodded, “The overwrite seems to be inconsistent. While it remained submissive, it had some glitchy tendencies around certain inmate cells. Expected of course being the beta prototype, but glitchy none the less.”<br/>
“Oh, that’d make sense. I heard the doctor is coming in again tomorrow.”<br/>
“And so are those CCC officials again.” The other guard added.<br/>
“As if one of the nosy workers isn’t enough around here.”<br/>
“They keep the chaos levels down, and for that you should be grateful.”</p><p>“Cuffs huh? What did you do?” One of the prisoners asked, distracting Reginald from the guards conversation.<br/>
“You don’t look like one of those trouble-making Toppat’s.” The other one said narrowing his eyes.<br/>
“Toppat Clan? What’s wrong with them?” Reginald asked feeling a pit grow in his stomach.<br/>
“Other than crashing their rocket here and making everyone’s life hell? You tell me what’s good about them?”<br/>
“Er, they’re failing escapists who’re keeping the wardens attention off the rest of us?” The other convict offered. His friend snickered. “Haha, true.”<br/>
The Toppat’s had a bad reputation here. <br/>
Maybe he owed that guard for burning his hat after all.</p><p>“I er… I don’t know,” Reginald said trying to pull at the cuff with his good ar- Ow! <br/>
Bad idea. <br/>
Bad idea. <br/>
Bad idea.<br/>
He straightened it back into its original position hoping he hadn’t pulled it out again. </p><p>The guards were talking about sport now. Damn, he’d really wanted to know where that conversation had been going.<br/>
“You had to do something.” The first one insisted.<br/>
“Well er…” Reginald scratched his brain, he certainly wasn’t telling them he was the old leader of the Toppat Clan. “I tried bargaining with Dimitir?”<br/>
The pair went pale, looking at him with wide eyes.<br/>
“And he only broke your arm?”<br/>
“Dislocated actually.”<br/>
“Haha, wow. You should be dead man.”<br/>
“Or more like locked up in high security,” The other argued.<br/>
“Or frozen.”<br/>
“Frozen?”<br/>
“Yeah, they have some cryonics chambers on the lower levels of the High-security ward. Pretty sure they’re getting paid to test them on prisoners, since you know… doesn’t really matter to them if we don’t wake up again.<br/>
Reginald swallowed. <br/>
He hoped Right wasn’t on the lower levels…</p><p><br/>
“Move out, 20 minutes,” Reginalds guard said shoving him out the elevator doors. “Enjoy the cold.”</p><p>His feet slipped in the snow and Reginald immediately fell on his face, twisting quickly to miss his bad shoulder. <br/>
“Haha, wow.” One of the two laughed. <br/>
“They don’t have black ice where you come from huh?”<br/>
No. They didn’t as a matter of fact. <br/>
The Airship didn’t generally drop below 18°C and it had been a while since he’d visited London in winter; about 15 years. He hadn’t been back there since joining the Clan.</p><p>A hand was extended infront of him, “I’m Robbie Robbin’ (as everyone likes to call me), and this is Ethan.”<br/>
“Reginald.” He said excepting the pairs help.<br/>
“Oooo~ posh.” Ethan teased. </p><p>“So, first time in the Wall, or a prison altogether?”<br/>
“Second time actually,” Reginald answered a little bitter brushing himself down from the snow.<br/>
“Ooof. What happened? Money laundering gone wrong? Tried to steal something expensive? You strike me as that kind of guy. Not chaotic enough for anything big.”<br/>
“Excuse me? Not chaotic enough?” Well now that was an insult. He was the leader of one of the most notorious criminal organisations in the world and he wasn’t ‘chaotic enough’.<br/>
“Ignore him, Eef’s an Ex-CCC worker. He’s got chaos on the brain even after they locked him up in here. But hey that’s what happens when you know too much and try to speak the truth huh?”<br/>
“Shut up. I told you what they did all those years ago to those kids. The CEO’s should have been locked up for it, not me.”<br/>
“Kids? I thought the CCC just deal with chaos containment?”<br/>
“Well you’re as naive as everyone else. They do waaay more than that and most of its borderline inhumane, but it’s a story for another day….This guy here, now he’s got a great story.”Ethan sneered back at Robbie.<br/>
“He got caught with his pants down…literally. One of the greatest burglars in the world, could brake into anything, anywhere, anytime and yet he managed to get caught on the toilet.”<br/>
“Oh shut up, it was a bad burrito. Not my fault those things do a number on your insides.”<br/>
“And what about you Reginald? What got you put in here?”<br/>
Reginald scowled, that was an easy answer: “Henry Stickmin.”<br/>
“Oh”<br/>
“Ouch, thats… that’s rough.” Ethan added a few moments later.<br/>
“Well….welcome to the Wall,” Robbie said punching him in the good shoulder. “You’ll find plenty of company out here for people who hate Henry, in both the staff, inmates and about every Toppat in existence. Heard the guy also got their old leader arrested before siding with the Government leading to their downfall.”<br/>
Reginald nodded. He already knew that part of the story.</p><p>He looked out across the courtyard, turning back to the main matter at hand: Escaping.<br/>
The courtyard was big and there was plenty of guards about so escaping this way was going to be unlikely to difficult. There were a few convicts up here, about 20 ish, but twice as many armed guards- <br/>
“You ain’t escaping through here bud,” Robbie laughed reading Reginalds mind. <br/>
“This is suicide alley. If you’ve got a death wish, go on a run towards that fence over there and keep climbing over till you get to the top, then jump. If you’re lucky you won’t survive the fall.”<br/>
“Well…most don’t at least” Ethan teased.<br/>
Reginald frowned, “Noted. And that building?”<br/>
“That’s the high security ward entrance and storage. It’s also got some of them freaky security robots they picked up from some old fast-food chain. Roomer has it the animatronics are haunted from the spirits of the children which disappeared at their pizzeria’s”<br/>
“Roomer has it they’re haunted. Fact has it, that 9/10 people who walk in there and aren’t a guard come out in a body bag.” Ethan scowled at Robbie who shrugged in response with a cheeky grin. <br/>
“Do a lot of people try to escape?”<br/>
“Haha, hell no. Most of us have the common sense to leave the trouble making to the Toppats. The rest of us like our cozy cells and not ending up in the infirmary.”<br/>
“That happens often then?”<br/>
“Oh boy, obviously you’ve never met a Toppat before.” Robbie teased aimlessly digging a hole in the snow with his shoe. <br/>
“And you have?” Reginald asked unconvinced.<br/>
“I mean, not directly. But everyone in the criminal world has at least heard about ONE of their major raids, like how they stole the Norwegian Emerald from under the Queens nose.</p><p>Reginald looked out once more toward the crowd of convicts that was forming. He didn’t recognise anyone- was that a top hat? <br/>
“What’s going on over there?” He asked pointing to the crowd.<br/>
“OH AWSOME! He’s out today!” Robbie cheered running over to join the group.<br/>
“Come on Eef! You’re gonna miss the show!”<br/>
“Show?” Reginald asked again, still confused. <br/>
“Come on, you’ll see. This is the best entertainment we get around here.” Ethan didn’t seem to impressed himself, but led Reginald over.</p><p>“Fight, fight, fight, fight!” The group chanted.<br/>
Reginald felt sick, he saw someone wearing a fluffy red top hat get pushed into the crowd and thrown back in. He knew that one.<br/>
“OI! Leave him alone!” Another voice called.<br/>
He knew that one too.<br/>
“Sounds like it’s getting good.” Robbie chuckled waving them over to a spot near the front. Ethan walked slowly pushing past some other convicts and helping Reginald in so he didn’t bash his arm too much. Robbie meanwhile rushed to the spot.</p><p>In the centre of the group were 4 Toppat’s: <br/>
On the left side was Fredrick Muenster holding his crooked left arm and HazMatt who’d taken to cowering behind him, no doubt in the middle of a panic attack based on the hushed whispering Fredrick was doing.</p><p>On the other side was SnowCap holding his hands up trying to gesture some kind of peace, while IcePick was firmly planted in the snow, held down by a foot on his chest and hand around his neck.</p><p>“Who’s that?” Reginald asked.<br/>
“That’s the Toppat Killer” Ethan answered about as impressed as Reginald.<br/>
“T-Toppat Killer?!?”<br/>
“Yeah! The dude’s killed like…dunno how many, but every Toppat they’ve ever put in a cell with him is never seen again!” Robbie cheered turning back and joining the groups chanting.<br/>
“. . .”<br/>
“You good?” Ethan asked, but Reginald just nodded slowly.<br/>
That wasn’t convincing.</p><p>“Come on- j-just leave us alone. We haven’t done anything, we’re not trying to get in your way.” SnowCap said, voice held steady.<br/>
“Walk away.” He took a step closer to the Toppat Killer in the middle, “Walk away now and leave us alone. We’re not worth your time. We’re all basic low ranking members. If you want to fight someone try one of the higher ranking members, or Kabbiz. He’ll at least make a challenge for you.”<br/>
“A Challenge huh?” The guy looked down at IcePick who was fighting for every shallow breath he could snatch.<br/>
“The only challenge I need is seeing how many of you murderers I can permanently ‘remove’ before the guards over there come to save your sorry asses.”<br/>
“The Toppat Clan aren’t murderers. We don’t allow murderers within our ran-“<br/>
“LIES!” <br/>
The guy dropped IcePick swinging at SnowCap who dodged lazily.<br/>
“I know what you do! I know what you did!”<br/>
SnowCap dodged, taking a few steps back. <br/>
“You’re all like your leader and I’ll kill him when I get my hands on him.”<br/>
SnowCap dodged again taking a few more steps back towards the crowd.<br/>
Reginald smiled. Smart as always, somethings never changed. <br/>
SnowCap took another lazy step away from IcePick who was attempting to stay upright between his ragged coughs. <br/>
“If your fight is with our chief, I hate to disappoint you, but he isn’t even being held here.”<br/>
“Oh really? Well tell me, who does the warden keep using like a punching bag every weekend? ” The Killer hissed, landing a blow on SnowCaps side. <br/>
He skidded back, but recovered quick enough to dodge the next one whilst making the snow airborne long enough to disappear out of range.<br/>
“Acting leader. The old one got arrested nearly 9 months ago. Your fight isn’t with him. The acting one is a traitor, not a murderer. So trust me if you think it is him, you better get in line with the rest of the clan who want to beat his hat off.”</p><p>Reginalds heart sank.<br/>
Traitor. <br/>
God…</p><p>This was Right’s fault.<br/>
It was all because Right hadn’t listened to him.<br/>
The clan would have been fine under his command. They wouldn’t have gotten captured, the rocket launch would have gone ahead without a hitch.<br/>
Stupid Right Hand Man, why did he have to be so stubborn? why wouldn’t he listen to reason? He was suppose to do his job as Right-Hand and look what had happened because he hadn-<br/>
“SNOWCAP!”</p><p>Reginald looked up to see him laying unconscious in the pinky-red snow.</p><p>“YEAH!!! GO KILLER GO!!!” Robbie screamed down his ear with the rest of the crowd.<br/>
“GET THE OTHERS!!”<br/>
The crowd cheered around him.<br/>
“1 DOWN 3 TO GO!” <br/>
“1 DOWN 3 TO GO!”<br/>
“1 DOWN 3 TO GO!”</p><p>The other 3 stood frozen.<br/>
Frederick was trying to support IcePick who appeared to have a concussion. HazMatt meanwhile continued hiding behind them shaking profusely. He saw Frederick’s eyes searching the crowd looking for someone who would help them… Anyone, but they were alone.<br/>
The Toppat killer slowly walked towards them chuckling. <br/>
“Who’s next?”</p><p>Reginald Copperbottom, Toppat leader.<br/>
His name practically flashed across Fredrick’s eyes as they locked with his own. He shook his head slightly. Fear? Horror? Maybe both. This guy had done this to them and he was after Reginald. What would he do to Reginald if he knew the truth?<br/>
Pummel him to death?<br/>
Rip him limb from limb?<br/>
The Toppat Killer seemed to notice as he turned and Reginald ducked behind Robbie, who just laughed at him. <br/>
He was so dead, he was so so so dead.<br/>
He’d seen him. <br/>
He’d know his face.<br/>
God he was dead.<br/>
So dead.<br/>
Was he ready to die?<br/>
This definitely wasn’t one of the ways he’d pictured his death.</p><p>“HAZMATT NOW!”<br/>
The Killer turned back to get blowed off his feet and pinned to the ground by HazMatt and Frederick who proceeded to kick his head into the snow.<br/>
“We gave you the peaceful way out, now stay down!”<br/>
“IcePick is he ok?”<br/>
IcePick wobbled trying to make his way to his friend, but he clearly wasn’t up to it and it was taking the other two all their strength to keep the Killer down. </p><p>Reginald didn’t think, his feet just moved and before he knew it he was by IcePicks side supporting him over to SnowCap.<br/>
“H-hey! What are you…”<br/>
“You don’t know me,” Was all he needed to mumble and IcePick got the message.<br/>
“I’m helping and you’re hurt.”<br/>
“Reginald what are you doing???” Robbie hissed at him with an equally concerned Ethan at his side. <br/>
“You’ve got a concussion. Don’t push yourself,” Reginald told him strictly. “Check for a pulse, count out loud.”<br/>
He got to 4 and Reginald stopped him. Good enough, he was still alive and visibly breathing, next they needed to address his head injury before he bled to death, then get out of the weather and warmed up. <br/>
“Take my sling off and hold it to the gash on his left side, apply as much pressure as you’re able to. You need to stop the bleeding.”<br/>
“I know how to do-“<br/>
“You’re not thinking clearly. Focus on saving his life, whatever strifes you have with me save them for later.” IcePick shut his mouth and just did as he was told. <br/>
Reginald got a good look at the gash as IcePick moved his head slightly. <br/>
Not too big, not too deep.<br/>
He’d be ok.<br/>
Must have just hit it on a rock beneath the snow.</p><p>“HEY! What the hell do you think you’re doing!” The Killer yelled. “OI SHORTY!”<br/>
Reginald twitched slightly. He’d forgotten about that…</p><p>“I’m saving his life,” Reginald spat.“I don’t know what you have against these people, but the only murderer here I see is you trying to kill them in cold spiteful blood.”<br/>
The guy stared back at him in disbelief. There was no flash of recognition or anything. Just confusion and anger. <br/>
That was good. <br/>
He was just another inmate to this guy.</p><p>“If you think there’s the problem here, well, maybe you’re the mistaken one because I think you need to do some serious soul searching.”<br/>
He turned his back to the Toppat’s adjusting Icepicks hands for a more stable hold<br/>
“Tch, this ain't over short stuff.”The Killer muttered before falling silent.<br/>
The crowd started to disperse muttering disappointedly to themselves.</p><p>“Everyone clear out! Back to your cells.”<br/>
“Now they show up???” Fredrick spat in almost disbelief.<br/>
“Toppat’s, hands on your head now! All of you!” <br/>
“Time to go hero,” Reginald looked over his shoulder to see Robbie tugging him away.<br/>
“He’ll be ok, just keep applying pressure and don’t stop till you get him to a doctor or first aid kit, got it?”<br/>
“Got it,” IcePick nodded. IcePick turned back last second as Reginald got up.<br/>
“Hey, Mr….”<br/>
“Reginald” He answered playing along.<br/>
He nodded, “Thank you Reginald.”<br/>
“Come on Reginald, we’re dead meat if the guards get us too!” Ethan hissed.</p><p>The trio walked away to a safe distance and watched as about 12 guards carted the 4 Toppat’s away, leaving the killer scowling in the snow. <br/>
The killer got up and made his way over to them. <br/>
“Shit, now you’ve done it.” Robbie muttered.<br/>
“Oi you three. 20 minutes are up.”<br/>
Their guards came over herding them back towards the elevator.<br/>
The Toppat Killer stopped in his tracks and said something.<br/>
Reginald really wished he’d paid attention to Burts lessons. <br/>
Why couldn’t people just use sign language? He’d paid attention to that part. </p><p>“Well hero, congrats, you just made yourself an enemy,” Robbie said patting him on the shoulder in the lift. “If you’re lucky the random rotations will mean you shouldn’t see this guy again for a while.”<br/>
“At least till he cools off,” Ethan added. </p><p>“The first week is always hard and you’re not that bad of a guy, so if you ever want some company, just knock on the wall by your bed, ok?” Robbie said in a bit more of a hushed tone.<br/>
“Er… alright. Thank you.”</p><p>The elevator doors opened and the guards walked them back to their cells. <br/>
His guard removed the cuffs and Reginald rubbed his swore wrists. The guard didn’t say anything and walked away. </p><p>- - - - </p><p>Reginald lay down on the bunk, feeling a sudden exhaustion over come him. <br/>
He stared up at the concreted celling.<br/>
A traitor…</p><p>But who? <br/>
One of his trusted elites? Surely not. <br/>
Macbeth wasn’t interested in leadership.<br/>
Carol had her hands tied with the American divisions, and never struck Reginald as the kind of person who would want extra work knowing fully well what it would entail.<br/>
Ahnoldt had the European divisions to take care of.<br/>
Sven- while he was certain wouldn’t have been captured,- wasn’t ready to lead. He had potential like the other 3 sure, but he was much younger (by about several years) and still too inexperienced. The other 3 would have talked him out of it, even if the idea had crossed his mind.<br/>
Maybe Burt would have talked him into Right-Hand instead, but not more than that. </p><p>Maybe there was a traitor within another rank. Someone who’d gotten the acting leader framed perhaps. Or maybe an elite hadn’t become leader at all. <br/>
But who? And who would they work for? <br/>
The government?<br/>
Surely not, Burt was responsible for monitoring for those kinds of transmissions. He was reliable and couldn’t be bribed because well… he simply didn’t care. No, they would have found out about that before any damage could be done. </p><p>What about someone who was working undercover: A double agent. <br/>
Like Wallace? No, not likely, Wallace was too goofy. A good actor sure, that’s why Reginald had chosen him to infiltrate the Wall. His acting skills combined with his natural goofy nature made it easy for him to cover up any slip-ups, as well as gain others trust. But what would his motivation be? He was too pure and easy to read. <br/>
Right had told him that himself. </p><p>He’d had Right observe him for a month straight, before deciding he was trust worthy enough and all the intel Right had been able to give him was, “He’s pretty simple if ya ask me, not too much going on up here.” Right said tapping his head. “He’s does what he’s told well and gets on fine with everyone. Just seems happy to have somewhere he belongs. He’s got nowhere to go, no livin’ relatives and was cast out by his main family. Nothing I can find which would serve as motivation, an just petty crimes for history. Never involved with the government or anyone before Billy G picked him up. Even asked Thomas and Geoffrey, an they couldn’t tell me anything much.”<br/>
Maybe Smith?<br/>
No, not likely. <br/>
He’d seemed happy with the arranged agreement of his transfer. <br/>
He’d wanted a safer job which would allow him to spend more time with his to be family while still remaining a member of the clan. He’d told Reginald he owed the clan everything and wanted to stand by their side till the bitter end. But till that day, and for the near future he just wanted a safer way to do that so he’d be able to spend time with his kid and not stress the Mrs’s out with worrying.</p><p>Reginald had never gotten to see his kid. He wondered how he was doing? How him and his family were doing. Hopefully he hadn’t had his cover blown by the other Toppats. Only himself and Right Hand Man were aware of his transfer. </p><p>This whole thing was giving him a headache. <br/>
He needed sleep. <br/>
Maybe with a fresh mind he’d be able to put the puzzle pieces together. <br/>
But that wouldn’t make it any easier to digest.<br/>
A traitor had been among them. <br/>
But who?<br/>
Or more importantly…</p><p>Why?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Unknown - #1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>M̹͇͖̩̻̘̓̎͝e͉̟͉͔̤̰̰͚͊̈́ͯ̀͢ͅa̷̠͎͊̆̃ͭ͂͝n̢͕͕̞̗̦͔ͭ̓ͣw̧͎̖̼̭̰̒̍͞hͮͮͧ͊̇͏͉͖̱͎̮̮̠̺͝i̤͍ͫ̋͂l͍̝͍ͤͫͭeͯ̃ͥͦ̈́̒͝͏̡̖̞͍͉̱̻͍̰.̵̧̯̗͍̏̇ͫͤ ̦̫̭ͦͬ̌̽̚.̴͖̫̦͓͎̗̼̼̻ͬ̈ ̶̢̨̠̀̐ͅ.̻͈̼̳͆͌̑</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>.͎̦͕͒̍̅͐ ̨̩̰̤͚̹̭̥̋͊̀ͫ̎̎ͯ̚͡ͅ.̦̘̝̻̱̭͙̬͇̅ͭ̏̔̉̍͟ ̷̶̙͖͎̯ͨ̒ͫ͋̄̏̌.̝̮̒ͤ̄̈́̓̏̚͟ ̻̼̗̜ͥ̊ͩͥ͞A̸̡͓̮̝ͬͮ̊̆̒̀͛͡ ̢̬͆ͮ͐ͬͯ̒͆̔͜p̧̘͔̪͙͇̬̤͉ͧ̍̀̋̽͡l̦̹̪̘̰͚͑̂̇̂̆ͥā͐̿̐͋ͣ́҉̲͍̹̥n̞̹̝̺͙͕̆̀̄͊ͥ̾̍̑ ̛͈̱̼̦̖͙͕ͤͪ̂͗̏́̅ͫͥc̡̮̝ͦ̓ͩ͛͗̄͝ȯ̷̴̝̙̃̎͂̑̃̚n͙͉ͩͤͫ̈́̚ţ͙̲̰̘͉̜͂͆̐̊̇̇̀i̎̏ͣͩ͂ͩ̚҉̬̩̫͢n̩̰̩̤̥̙̳̠ͮ̀ͧ̒͢͡u̯͔̞͕̐͆͢e̴̥̟̹̞ͣ̓̀ͭ͜s̲͈̜̝̯ͮ̚͘͡ ̶̭͓̯̗̯̅t̜̩̖̼͓͓̹ͥ̾̽ͤo̡̤͚̙͓̗̫͌ͮ̚ ͩ̅̉ͭͦͭ́҉̸̖̘͡ǘ̡̝̯̯̙̮̓͋̒͞ͅņ̞̓ͤ̇̋ͭ̋̎͒̋͝ḟ̸͎̦̼̞̆͌̊̾̊̈ȏ̸̻͇͔̳̣̲̣͉̽͒̏ļ̫̰̱͕̥̯͊̒ͥ͐ͅd̢̲̙̞̥̫͍̯͌̏̓̈́́̋̏̔ͅͅ ̢̫̥̱̭̰͙̯̋t̛̬̯̯̞͖̟̬̪̑ͤ̓ͣͅȏ̸͖͇͔͙̗̹͙̠̐ͧͨ͞ ̗͔̘̫ͤ͗̈̿ͣͦ͐s̴̭̰̬͖̬̭̟̻̈́̀ͦ̇ͫ̌ͬ͘c̢̟͚̳̮͍͎̪̫̽̔̔͋ͣ̀͛̏̈h͓̲̮̞͑̆̈̈̂̎͡ĕ͚̲̖̏͛ͯ͋͠ͅd̻͚̱̱͖̘̗̅ͦͨ͊̅̓͠u͚̞̓̎̓̀ͪ͟l̢̨͕͍̟̦̜̫̉̌͌̀͆ͯ̓͗e̴̘̭̥̱͗̊̑̇.̛͉̙̙͕̳̺͚͓̂͂̋̆͋ͨ͊̋̂͠</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>[F-22]</strong>
  </span>
</p><p><br/>“Elite's…elites, which floors are you hiding on…”<br/>F-22 tapped her fingers on the wall reading down the list of convict names and cell numbers.<br/>“… and who would be best to choose?”<br/>“Someone with an open mind perhaps…<br/>“Or too broken to put up a fight.”</p><p>So far she had 5 to choose from:<br/>Macbeth, Schwarz, Cross, Copperbottom and Poshley </p><p>Well, despite how much she wanted to pay the leader a visit, Copperbottom wouldn’t know being imprisoned the longest and during the fall of the Clan.  <br/>That left 4.</p><p>Next she checked the reference list of the 10 High-ranking members positions she’d gotten earlier from the remains of the rocket. It had taken a while, someone had tried and partially succeeded in deleting most of the files,- particularly the classified and sensitive information ones -but with a bit of time and research she’d managed to find the names she needed from old newsletters and audio logs. </p><p>Reginald Copperbottom: Toppat Clan leader.<br/>[Unknown]:Toppat Leaders Right Hand.<br/>Ahnoldt Schwarz: Elite, Head of the European division.<br/>Carol Cross: Elite, Head of the American division.<br/>Mr. Macbeth: Elite, Train Driver &amp; Head of the Transportation.<br/>Sven Svensson: Elite, Pilot &amp; Archivist.<br/>Albert Poshly: High-Ranking, Patron.<br/>Burt Curtis: High-Ranking, Head of the Communications.<br/>Scar: High-Ranking, Head of the Airship division.<br/>[Unknown]: High-Ranking, Head of the Oceanian devision.</p><p>It wasn’t much to go by , but a the likelihood of a patron knowing was low, so that was another off the list. 3 to pay a visit, two of which were in the same cell so that made life easy. And if none of them know it’s off to the High-security ward to try her luck with the other high ranking members.</p><p>She scooped up her hat, pulling it down to cover her eyes. <br/>She’d have to find one of the Wardens and discuss having the three transferred to interrogation cells, make up some shit about ‘high-chaos’ readings coming off of them and the urgent need for it to be ‘neutralised’. That would be the easy part, the hard part would be getting the elites to spill anything; Loyalty. </p><p>It ran through the heart of the clan and she wouldn’t be surprised if every last member would put their life down before telling her anything; the elites certainly would. She had no doubt about it, but then, if normal methods failed she could always do it ‘her way’. Now that would be faster from the start and would be more fun too, as well as saving her the hassle of finding a Warden, waiting for an approval then transfer…</p><p>“Don’t blow your cover, or waste your energy. Only do so if you’re in danger.” She scowled remembering her colleagues words. Unfortunately, as much as she wanted to do things her way and how much more effective it would be to break them and get answers over talking-</p><p>Her hand paused on the door handle when she felt a prickle of electric race across her skin.<br/>“A 4.5 C.E spike,” She lay her hand flat against the floor feeling the energy guide her towards the west wing. She looked up eyes sparkling a pale blue, “Floor 17…Cafeteria. Hehe, at it again I see.”<br/>She removed her hand from the floor pocketing it.<br/>“A nice little chaotic snack to do things my way, how kind of you Toppat’s.”</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <span class="u">
    <strong>[B-12]</strong>
  </span>
</p><p>“Progress update,” The man behind the desk ordered not turning to see who had entered. He didn’t need to turn to know. 1:32 pm Friday, on time as always.</p><p>“Part 1 has been successfully complete. The target subject has been moved and secured at The Wall Complex,” The officer answered. “Visual and proximity readings confirm our suspicion they do indeed possess a chaos reading of a C.E 8+ with a 98% accuracy, however, the guys down in the lab have requested a blood sample to be sure they are one of the 3 we’re searchin’ for and not someone who possesses a naturally high C.E.”</p><p>“I assume you already have a plan to acquire the sample.”<br/>“Yes sir. My self and F-22 haven’t quite finalised the details, but we believe it can be incorporated into the main plan along with the potential to utilise project ‘Left Hand’ should Dimitri manage to carry that out successfully.”</p><p>“You don’t think they will come peacefully then?”<br/>“Sir, we’ll be damn lucky to get that blood sample without at least 4 casualties, an’ that’s providin’ they don’t remember ta start with. An in my opinion no amount of brainwashin’s an’ memory erasing is gonna help Dimitri keep that one under wraps. I already told ya what a failure Thursday’s test session ended up bein’.”</p><p>“You did.” The man nodded, “How did Dr. Vinschpinsilstien's work come along? I assume she followed orders and installed the new circuits we provided.”</p><p>“Yes sir. I’d say she seemed skeptical about the ‘anti-chaos’ chips, but she certainly didn’t prod about as much as she could hav’. She said she was just fixing some bugs the Warden reported from Thursdays test session an’ reckons with a few more weeks of tweaking and alterations the Warden’ll get the perfect ‘Left Hand’.”</p><p>“And Dimitri?”</p><p>“He’s keepin’ his nose outta’ it. Too busy with the Toppat Clan members they got donated couple’ months ago. Heard they got the actual leader there now an he’s been causin’ lotta trouble. Baxter said our readings have been spiking ever since they transferred ‘im, but fortunately, that jus’ mean’s the Warden’s got less reason to complain ‘bout our more frequent visits.”</p><p>“Good. Let’s keep it that way. Help the leader out a little if needed, but otherwise retain a low cover till part 3.”<br/>“Yes sir."</p><p>“Our next task is working on implimentin’ the steps for part 2. F-22’s at the complex currently, scoutin’ some info on where the stragglers are hiddin’ so I can do my part. In the meantime she mentioned finding the perfect test subject you’ve been wantin’ ta test sample 229.B,45D - 57 on. Apparently whoever they are- cause all she’s tellin’ me is it’s a ‘surprise’ -is the completely emotionally compromised and drenched in negative energy right now. “</p><p>“Excellent. Inform her I’d like to discuss the matter further at a later stage. And don’t take it too personally, you know how she is. She always has been more of a ‘child’ than you. That’s why you're in charge.”</p><p>B-12’s scowl remained, folding the left metal arm over right. If that was suppose to make him feel better about having to deal with his colleagues childish games, it wasn’t working.</p><p>“Any progress on locating E-765 &amp; H-404?”<br/>“No sir. The only lead we’ve got is someone called ‘Henry Stickmin’, but it’s lookin’ like a dead end. He’s on file for some pretty high C.E readings at C.E 10.8, but he’s workin’ with the Government and most of his files are hidden as a result. Getting more info than that’s provin’ a problem without going through Galeforce, who’s definitely gonna ask questions.”</p><p>The man nodded again,“You are dismissed B-12.”</p><p>B-12, dipped his head turning and leaving through the door. </p><p>The man turned back to his desk and pulled out one of 5 old case files dated at 10 years ago.<br/>The top one he had open showed a young boy, about 13, with scruffy ginger hair, glowing red eyes and a tattered red scarf over a blue shirt with the company logo on one sleeve, and his name on the other.</p><p>“Looks like I found you B-42, and this time… there’s nowhere for you to run to.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alrighty, this one was a nice quick little chapter. <br/>There might be some confusion with what the C.E readings, but that'll be explained later on and long with a few other things.</p><p>Next chapter is technically done, but I want to add a bit more to the end, so that should be done by the end of this week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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